Mayawati puts her stamp on promotion quota for SC/ST

Dec 14, 2012, 01.49AM ISTTNN[ Subodh Ghildiyal ]

For all the claims of success in breaking the quota logjam, Congress appeared playing second fiddle to a fire-breathing Mayawati.

NEW DELHI: Mayawati has leapfrogged to claim authorship of 'promotion quota', leaving Congress behind in the clamour for credits and demonstrating that her support to the Centre may not be a one-way street in terms of benefits as it recently appeared over the FDI debate.

The BSP supremo lost no time in slamming Congress for the plight of dalits after six decades of independence, leaving the treasury benches squirming after they walked the extra mile to deliver on her flagship agenda in the face of SP's unrelenting hostility. Congress had no option but to stand behind her under protest.

Government managers claimed victory, saying they had convinced the BSP that 'promotion quota' could not be exempted from the "efficiency clause" enshrined in Article 335. The Constitution amendment bill grants that exemption but government will seek to remove it during the debate on Monday.

However, BSP dubbed as superfluous the mention of "notwithstanding Article 335" in the bill. Mayawati confidant S C Mishra told TOI, "A proviso in Article 335 already gives the liberty to relax qualifying norms for SCs/STs in jobs and promotions. The change in the proposed bill will not dilute 'promotion quota' in any manner." In fact, many believed it would only reduce the chances of legal challenge against quota.

For all the claims of success in breaking the quota logjam, Congress appeared playing second fiddle to a fire-breathing Mayawati who was seen to have retrieved the bill from a hopeless situation created by Samajwadi protests.

While her aggression against the Rajya Sabha chair and the government on Wednesday cleared the blockade, Congress came across as reluctant and taking cover behind Samajwadi protests.

The movement on quota bill marks a success for all. While UPA can hope to push through its legislative agenda of reforms, SP has made its big overture to anti-quota groups of upper castes and OBCs. Mayawati achieved the desired result of being seen as the sole champion of dalits.

But politically, the dalit czarina wrenched the game from Congress. If she appeared ruthless in blaming the community's plight on Congress which has moved the bill to undo the Supreme Court judgment against 'promotion quota', it tied in with her belief that the party is the bigger enemy because of shared vote base of Muslims and dalits. "Truth is bitter, learn to accept it," was her caustic remark to protesting Congressmen.

The 'SP vs BSP' quota battle may reduce the Congress and BJP to helpless bystanders in UP.

While BSP is aiming to consolidate its core base of dalits, confident that anti-incumbency would automatically send others to her camp, rival Samajwadis are looking to nibble into the core base of Congress and BJP to offset the negatives of malgovernance and law and order. A success for UP outfits may turn 2014 into a big challenge for the national parties.